Automatic railroad crossing



Oct. 31, 1933. J. SETZ AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING Filed Nov. 13. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 31, 1933. 5511 1,933,284

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING Filed Nov. 15, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 33 A a 6mm Oct. 31, 1933. J. SETZ 1,933,284

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING Filed Nov. 13. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITD. s'r r s V 1,933,284 I AUTOMATIC RAILROAD CROSSING Joscphsetz, Elizabeth, N. J;

Application November 13, 1929 Serial No. 406,830

6 Claims. (01. 246- 293) This invention relates to improvements in railroad crossings, particularly to a mechanically operated, train controlled safety-gate employed for guarding railway and other crossings against crossing of the road by persons, animals, or vehicles when a train approaches a highway crossing the road .bed. 7

It is the principal object of my invention to provide an automatically acting train operated l0 gate avoiding the use of electrically controlled systems which are apt to get out of order caused by short circuits in the system or other atmospheric or road conditions, and which also avoids the use of springs, which are liable to lose their tension and therefore do not operate at all times with the necessary precision, or whichv expand and contract under atmospheric influences, or getrusty and break. I I Another object of my invention is the provision of an automatically and positively operating railroad crossing gate 'of a comparatively simple and therefore inexpensive construction, 31% durable and efficient in its operation.

$till another object of my invention is the provision of a railroad crossing gate not necessitat ing the constant services of an attendant, but only occasional service for lubrication, adjust.- ment etc.

A further object of my'invention is the provision of a railroad crossing gate which is operated by gravity to close and open the gate through the operation of two identical systems arranged at a; suitable distance in front and in rear of ahighway crossing the-railway bed and of the operating mechanism for 'the gate in suitable closed containers between the tracks, and tubular cable guides, as well as acoustic and visible signs, light reflecting or otherwise constructed to warn approaching persons or vehicles of the impending closing of the, gates by an approaching train andof the factthat the gates are closed against the highway traific;

The signs may have the form of mirrors reflectinga stop signal and adapted to be illuminated by the lamps of an automobile approach ing the crossing or in any othersuitable manner and the acoustic signals may have the form of a bell adapted to be operated by a cable connected with-a train operated pedal so that the approachingtrain will sound the warning signal I suit.

Theseand other objects and advantages of my invention will become more fully known asthe description thereof proceeds and will then'be specifically defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure: Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a railroad crossing gate and its operating mechanism constructed according to my invention. v

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation thereof.

. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional side elevation seen from the side opposite to the showing in Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional side eleva- 30 tion of the gate operating mechanism illustrating its working after the gates have been closed.

Fig. 5 is a detail side elevation of a gravity operated eccentric to allow an openingof the gate after a train has passedthe crossing. 5

Fig. 6 is an end viewthereof.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary side elevation of a toothed wheel onan enlarged scale, showing its gap engaged .by the pawl during the passage of the train with the gates closed.

Fig. 8 is a detail end elevation of apawl and cooperating. parts forkeeping the parts locked during the passage of a train.

Fig.9 is a side view of the pawl, Figure 8.

As illustrated, between the rails 10 and 11 of a track, at a certain suitabledistance from a crossing, a frame or box 12 is preferably sunk into the ground or placed between the tracks in which a transverse shaft. 13 is journaled in suitable v bearings. This shaft carries near oneend there- 10 of a drum 14' to the depressed periphery of which one end of a cable 15 is attached which is guided through atube 16 arranged longitudie nally between rails 10 and 11 and supported on the road bed or ties by means of suitable v brackets 17. r

The cable 15 is split within the tube to form two branch cables 18, 19, guided over rollers-20,

21 rotatably held between the arms of a bracket 22, and then guided through obliquely arranged tubes 23, 24:, extending below the rails 10 and 11 two points laterally disposed to said rails on the outside thereof, where the ends of the cables are guided over rollers 25 and finally secured to eyes 26 or the like on the underside of the gate bars 2'7 one on each side of the track closing a road crossing the track. 1

The gate bars 27 are pivoted near their outer with their foot parts 34 the ground when :the

gates are lowered to firmly support the same.

The gate operating means comprises a pedal 35 adapted to be depressed by the wheels of a passing train pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 36 to the upper end of a vertical post 37, carrying intermediate its ends an abutment 38.

At a distance iromits lower end the-downwardly inclined end of pedal lever. 35 carries an angular bracket 39 with a weight l-0.

To the lower end-of t-hepedal lever is pivotally secured, as at 41, the outer end of a pitman 42, the opposite end of which is pivotally attached, as at l3 tothe upper reinforced end of an arm '44 having its lowerend pivoted upon the shaft 13.

To the inner face of the reinforced upper 'end of the arm 44 is pivotally attached a pawl 45 adapted to engage between the teeth of a ratchet wheel 46 on shaft lB 'and having a gap 4:7 between its teeth. 7

Eccentrically arranged and in juxtaposition to the ratchet wheel 46 shaft 13 carries loosely an eccentric '48 having an "opening 49 in its material and carrying a weight 50. To one end near the outer periphery of the weighted part 50, the

lower end of a rod 51 is attached having pivotally secured to its upper end the inner curved end of an operating lever 52 pivotally attached intermediate its ends to 'a bracket 53 carried by a vertical post 54.

To the outer curved end of lever 52 is attached one end of a'cable 55 which is then guided over a roller 56 through a tube '57 to a lever 35 pivoted to a standard and serving to raise the gate after "a train has passed thecrossing. The lever '35 is arranged at ;a suitable distance from said crossing. v

Below bracket 53 is pivotally attached a pawl "5'8 adapted to engage between the teeth of a ratchet wheel 59 on shaft 13 injuX-taposition to drum 14. i

A pin 60 extends laterally from said pawl and is "adapted to engage under a lug 61 extending from the inner face of pawl 45 and having a frontal depending finger '62 (Fig. 7).

A stop signal 63 comprising reflecting mirrors orthe "like is arranged on the gatebars 27 to warn approaching vehicles of the impending closing of gates or that the gatesare closed.

' Upon the depression of pedal 35 by the wheels of a locomotive or first car of a train which is arranged at a suitable distance from the crossing, the pit-man 42 will operate the arm -44 and pawl 45 to progressively turn the ratchet 46 and shaft 13 as well as drum 14 thereon so that cable 15 is wound upon thesame and cables 18, 19, connected therewith will pull the gate beams or bars 27 down to close the crossing. The pawl 58 by engaging the ratchet 59 serves as a latch to prevent retrograde rotation of the shaft 13 and raising of the gates.

When the gates are closed the pawl will have reached the gap 4'? and any further operation of the wheels on pedal 35 will have no effect and the -gates will remain closed until the train has passed the crossing and the wheels of the engine and cars pass over the lever 35 which is located a suitable distance from the crossing. The cable 55 which is attached to the lower end of this lever 'is'norrnally held taut and depressing of the upper end of the lever 35 under action or" the train wheels will exert pull upon the cable 55 and rock the lever 52, thereby causing the pawl 58 to be moved out -oi engagement the ratchet wheel 59. At the same time, the pin 60 by engaging the side extension 61 will raise the pay/1'45 and the shaft 13 and drum will be permitted to rotate in a direction to unwind the cable 15 and permit raising of the gates. Movement of the gates to a raised position is effected by the weights 3'1 and the weights 39 and 40 serve "to yieldably retain the lever 35 in a normal position. i

The weighted eccentric will swing "back into 'i ts original position as soon as the train has opened the 'g-ate and carry the pawls 'bac kinto engagement with the teeth of the gears "to make the same ready for a new operation by an approaching train. V p

It will be understood that "I have described and shown one form of my device only as anexamp'le of the many possible ways to practically-constr-uct the same, and that i may make such changes in its general arrangement and in the construction of its minor details without departure from the spirit of my invention and the principles involved. 7

'l-Iav'ing thus described my invention what I 'c'lam'as new and desire to secure 'by Letters Pat-- ent'i's: 1

1. An automatic railway gate for prdtecting highway crossings, comprising a-t-ra-in operated upon its rotation to draw the'gate bars into their 7 crossing closing position, and 'a gravity operated means for allowing an elevation of'the gate bars 7 after the train train. p v

'2. In an automatic railway gate a pair of has passed the crossing by said weighted gate bars, apedal operated from atrain Y at a distance from said crossing, a lever combined with said pedal having a curved and weighted lower end, an operating bar pivot-ally secured at one end to thecurved end of said'lever,

a casing, a shaft rotatably and transversely arranged insaid casing, a plunger rod on said shaft to which, the other end of said operating bar "is 'pivotally connected, a gear on said shaft, a pawl on said plunger engaging between the teeth of said gear to rotate said shaft, a drum on said shaft, and a cable secured at one end to said drum and at its other split ends to said gate bars to be wound upon said drum to draw said gate bars intotheir lower and crossing closing position upon the operation of said gear and shaft by the depression of said pedal by a train.

3. In an automatic railway crossing protecting gate a casing located between the rails of a track, a transverse shaft in said casing, a gear on said shaft having a gap between its teeth, a pawl engaging between the teeth of said gear to turn the same and the shaft, means for operating said pawl from a train approaching the crossing to rotate a cable drum on said shaft having its cable secured to said drum andto the gate bars for drawing the same into their crossing closing position, said pawl gliding over the gap on said gear after the'operation of said shaft by the first car of a train for preventing further operation of said cables during the passage of the train.

4. In a ralroad crossing gate of the class described, a pair of weighted bars, a casing adapted to be located between the rails of the track, a transverse shaft journaled in the side walls of said casing, a weighted eccentric mounted on said shaft, a lever secured at one end to said eccentric, an operatng arm to the end of which said lever is pivotally attached, a cable attached to the other end of said arm adapted to be operated from a train after passing the crossing to lift said eccentric, a drum on said shaft and a cable connecting said drum with said weighted bars to allow a raising of said bars by their weights upon the operation of said eccentric for opening the gate.

5. In a railway crossing gate of the class described a pair of weighted gate bars pivoted near their weighted ends, a casing located between the rails of a track, a transverse shaft journaled in the side walls of said casing, a drum on said shaft, cables connect ng said drum with said gate bars, a gear on said shaft, a pawl engaging between the teeth of said gear to turn the same for rotating said shaft upon the operation of said pawl by a train about to pass the crossing, a lug laterally disposed to said pawl and having a front finger, an eccentric on said shaft, a weight on said eccentric, a means for raising said eccentric by a train having passed the crossing another gear on said shaft, a pawl in mesh therewith, a laterally extendng pin on said pawl adapted to engage the finger of said second pawl for lifting both pawls out of engagement with said gears after the train has passed the crossing to allow said weighted bars by their weight to unwind said cables from the drum and open the gate.

6. An automat'c railroad crossing gate comprising a pair of gate bars pivoted near their outer ends, weights on said outer ends, supporting feet loosely depending from said bars, a casing located between the rails of the track, a transverse shaft journaled in the side walls'of said casing, a gear on said shaft having a gap between its teeth, a plunger secured at its lower end to said shaft, a head on the upper end of said plunger, a pawl on the inner side of said head having a frontal finger, said pawlnormally engaging the teeth of said gear, an arm pivotally secured at one end to said plunger, a weighted operating lever to which the other end of said plunger is pivotally secured, a pedal on said lever adapted to be depressed by the wheels of a train approaching the crossing, a drum on said shaft, a split cable secured to said drum and to the underside of said gate bars for drawing the gates into their crossing closng position upon the operation of said pedal by an approaching train, a weighted eccentric on said shaft, an arm secured at its lower end to the weighted part of said eccentric, an operatng arm to which said arm is pivotally secured, a bracket to which said operating arm is pivoted intermediate its ends, a pawl laterally secured to said bracket, a second gear on sad shaft with the teeth of which said second pawl meshes, a laterally extending pin on said second pawl adapted to grip under the lug of said first named pawl, a cable secured to the outer end of said operating arm adapted to be wound upon a drum at a point behind the crossing operated from a pedal by the train leaving the crossing to turn said eccentric to lift the pawls out of engagement with their gears to allow at raising of the weighted bars under their weight unwinding the cables attached thereto from said firstnamed drum.

JOSEPH SETZ. 

